Comments on: A Reputation in Shreds

By: Sean

Sean — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 06:43:13 +0000

I first heard of Marie Antoinette when I was in my early teens, but never gave a care of what she did and was; but then I came past the book by Antonia Fraser and something hit me in her picture… I loved it! This brought about my interest in her. I bought the book, but never managed to read it thoroughly in 11 years!
I had heard she was a selfish bitch who spent wildly on luxury as the people starved outside… but I managed to notice that this is only partially true. She really did spend wildly, but one must keep in mind that she was not aware of France’s true nature of its poverty, brought about by Louis XV’s dealings of the Seven Years’ War. She rarely visited Paris, since she was only taken in palaces and rich places fit for a queen! Marie Antoinette did also donate amounts of money (referred also in one scene of the Coppola film!), but was never made aware of her people’s situation before she heard of the breaking-down of the Bastille, which obviously by then was way too late!
Speaking of the Coppola movie, I must agree with a few other commentators that I did not find it damaging in Marie Antoinette’s reputation. Though slightly incorrect in a few historical incidents, I found it focused more on Antoinette’s time of youth and immaturity, which is why she seemed to be only interested in having fun with her friends and frolicking with her extramarital lover.
I do like her very much, although personally I love Madame du Barry better

By: poi

poi — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 09:34:27 +0000

i just finished reading a book about marie antoinette entitle Abundance.. at first i thought the book was very biased but when i finished reading this, i realized that marie antoinette is just a victim and that the book i read about her was mostly true. she may have had mistakes but i now know that she wouldnt have done so without a reason.

By: Courtland

Courtland — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 01:39:11 +0000

I would have to disagree with the opening paragraph commenting on Sofia Coppola’s film. In actuality, the film may have opened the eyes of those whom were blind to the realities of Marie Antoinette’s lifestyle. If a viewer paid remotely any attention to the film, one would recognize that the Queen cared for her people, despite them not being of her kind to begin with.

By: charlene

charlene — Wed, 19 May 2010 21:21:53 +0000

@Lorna Tilton, she did not say that, it has been proven false many times. if my memory is correct it wassaid by one of her relatives before she was born and written about in a book. but the revolutionaries used it as propoganda against the queen (remembering the times most of the population wouldnt have been educated so would believe almost anything).
also it wasnt even cake,the literal translation is let them eat brioche, which is a form of really expensive bread, so the quote is void anyway.

By: saphire

saphire — Wed, 19 May 2010 20:40:37 +0000

this artical was truly enlightening. its sad that the general populace thinks so poorly of someone who was truely a normal person under great pressure. thank you for presenting the facts.

By: Julie

Julie — Tue, 11 May 2010 19:01:50 +0000

I don’t think that Sofia Coppola’s movie cast a shadow over Marie Antoinette. I find the movie amazing for the costumes, the locations, the atmosphere, but also because it shows her as what she was: a girl my age. I actually pitied her and I can’t imagine what it would be like to be pulled away from your mom, your sisters and brothers, even your pet, to be some stranger’s wife..poor Marie, alone in Versailles, surrounded by gossips and by a loveless husband..

By: jessica

jessica — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 02:22:39 +0000

I think you have it wrong. I think that if you watch the film, it goes from how people thought of her at the time to her own point of view the situations. She was pulled from her family, forced to abandon all that she loved, thrown into a society of snobbishness and excess. She was only a teen, and how immature were we at 14, 15 years old? Nobody guided her into the sovereign that she could have been. She was allowed to do what she wanted when she wanted, and nobody said anything otherwise. I personally think Sofia did a wonderful job of giving a modern take on Marie Antoinette, she made it catchy for the younger generation, yet she stuck to the facts in a Queen’s point of view. I personally looked at the film not as it was but read between the lines. I love Marie Antoinette’s story, she’s a fascinating figure, mother and ruler. She was then what the hottest, most trend setting celebrities are now.

By: David

David — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:30:14 +0000

do any of you guys know any possible questions that i could ask someone like Marie A. to convict King Louis (we are doing a mock trial in class)

By: Lorna Tilton

Lorna Tilton — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:05:36 +0000

I believe that she may have very well said, “Let them eat cake.” She was so young and naive. I can picture her sitting there all of 19 years old and being informed of just how hungry the peasents are and the corner of her eye catches the plates of fine pastry all around her. I can picture her grabbing up one of those plates and swiftly passing it to the informent offering all of her pastry to the hungry. There is a good chance she may have uttered this phrase completely innocent of it’s sarcastic humor. My children say things I wish they wouldn’t. I’d give it a 50/50 chance.

By: Claire

Claire — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 05:30:39 +0000

I first learnt about Marie Antoinette in my French Language lesson about 2 years ago. We watch Coppola’s film and ever since then I have been inspired to research about her and learn the true side of her. She was a wonderful woman who didn’t deserve her horrid death. Everybody believes what the Revolutionaries said about her (and what movies depict about her ) extravagent life and how she was selfish and didn’t care about her people, when in fact she helped the poor in so many ways. All the lies need to be fixed so everyone knows the historical truth about Marie Antoinette.